Improved armor-plate for ships and other batteries



'UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN T. BABBITT, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED ARMOR-PLATE FOR. SHIPS AND OTHER BATTERIES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,380, dated January 13, 1863.

To au whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, BENJAMiN T. BABBTTT, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Iron Ships and Fortiications; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a transverse section of a vessel constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an outside view of a portion of the side of a vessel constructed according to my invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical section corresponding and parallel with Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section corresponding with Figs. 2 and 3, in a different plane from Fig. I. Fig. 5 is a side View of one ofthe castings by which the parts of the wrought-iron framework of the vessel are united.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several gures.

To enable others to construct vessels and fortiiications according to myinvention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings. I

A A, B B, and G C are the series of wroughtiron bars, the first, A A, being arranged at suitable distances apart in substantially the same manner as the ribs of an ordinary vessel, the second, B B, arranged at suitable distances apart lengthwise of the vessel upon and in contact with the outer surfaces of A A, and the third, C C, arranged at suitable distances apart in the same direction as B B upon and in contact with the inner surfaces of A A. The several bars may be of various forms in their transverse sections 5 but I prefer to make the barsA A of square or parallelogrammic form, and thebarsBB and C G of wedge formthat is to say, with two opposite sides oblique to each other, as shown in Figs. I and 4, the other two sides being par- 2 and 3, and thus made to secure the whole together in the most iirm and solid manner by the contraction to which it is subject in cooling. The deck or roof of the vessel is composed of bars A/ A', B B', and G C, united by cast iron in a similar manner, the bars A A corresponding in character with A A, and those B B/ and C C corresponding with B B and C O.

I propose to make the castings between the bars of as large size as is conveniently practicable. Those which are represented are each large enough to till two of the spaces Formed between the bars A to the depth otl two bars B B C C and two of their intervening dovetail spaces, as shown at b b in Figs. 3 and 4, and to fill two of the spaces between the bars B B and two of the corresponding spaces between the bars C C to a length equal to the width of two bars A A and two intervening spaces, as shown at a a in Fig. 2; but, whatever the number of spaces which each easting fills, the portions b b of the several castings should meet each other opposite the eenters of the bars B B and G C, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the portions a ay meet each other opposite the centers of the bars A A, as shown in Fig. 2. rIhe form of the castings will be best understood by a comparison of Figs. et and 5, and their arrangement by a comparison of Figs. 3 and 4. The transverse section, Fig. I, is taken close to the side ot' one of the bars A A, and Fig. etis taken midway between two of the said bars.

The molds to form the castings between the several bars are completed by means of blocks of metal temporarily inserted and secured between the several bars, and plates temporarily applied and secured to the exteriors of the bars B B and C C. The tops of the molds thus formed may be left open and the metal poured in till it comes to the required height. After some of the lower castings have been formed in their places, they form portions ot' the molds for casting the next ones above and at the sides of them.

In the construction of the vessel the bars B B and C G are only applied in their places as fastas the structure is proceeded with, asit would be useless to arrange them all in position, for the reason that they would be displaced by the shrinkage of the castings, and, besides, they would interfere with the pouring of the metal. When the said bars have been applied in their places, they may be temporarily secured by means of clamps until the cast-iron has been. poured between them and become solid. By this mode of constructing iron vessels, which is also applicable to the construction of fortifications or any defensive Works, a structure of solid iron may be obtained, the several parts bein gperfectly united by the powerful agency ofthe shrinkage of the castings, the portions a a of which form dovetails and have their outward taper so formed by making the bars B B and C G of proper form that the shrinkage of the dovetails toward the barsA A, rather more than B. T. BABBITT.

Witnesses:

' O. D. MUNN,

J. W. CooMBs. 

